why americans use different measurements, and why brits drive on left side of the road?

Question

is it true that they are so special?

Answer 1

lol yeah!if being gay or supernaturally vain is concedered to be special!

actually maybe they are special for being sooooooooooo.....can i say it?no sorry

Answer 2

Actually, I can answer this quite authoritatively.
It all goes back to the American War of Independence. When America was a British colony it naturally used the Imperial (British) measurement system. When the US achieved independence they wanted to disassociate themselves with the UK as much as possible. Even in language. The decided to alter what was seen as illogiocal spellings (hence US English 'Color' versus UK English 'colour' etc). Europe had been ravaged by the Napoleonic Wars and when Napoleon conquered a country he also wanted to change those 'old ways' of doing things. Including which side of the road people travel on. He reversed it as a symbol of change. The US went along with this. That is why the US and mainland Europe drive on the right side of the road. In the UK we drive on the left - because we weren't invaded by Napoleon.
As for measurements. Well, when it became independent the US wanted to change its language. They didn't want to use English at all. But that was impractical - most people in the US spoke it. Likewise with measurements - they were the standard for commerce so never got changed.
That, hopefully, explains why the US still uses Imperial measurements but why they drive on the right.

Answer 3

The Americans use different measures because they missed out on the metric system and we Brits drive on the left side of the road because it's the right side of the road.

Answer 4

I don't know for certain but my guess would be:
Measurements, other countries in the EU always used metric so UK adopted it, just as it looks likely to adopt the Euro. Americans are not part of that and so have no need to adopt these things. As for the driving on the right, i imagine the thing about the horses is correct.
There are other countries apart from the UK countries where they drive on the left as well.

Answer 5

my guess is that brits drive on the left side because they have done that for a really long time and switching it would cause waaay too many accidents.
americans use different measurements because they tried to convert to metric back in the 60's or 70's i think, but they just couldn't get used to it. (i guess most of us just aren't smart enough)

Answer 6

We Brits drive on the left because we like annoying the rest of Europe! And the USA still use Imperial feet and inches to annoy Canada...

Answer 7

Answer: people set a standard arbitrarily and then get stuck in it. Britain changed its weights and measures over to the (more organised) French system because of the European Union. USA stayed with what we'd left them. I think a lot of countries drive on the left... hang on, gives me an idea...

Answer 8

I read somewhere that the reason we drive on the left here in the UK is because horse riders traditionally carry their whip in the left hand, and passing on the left means they didn't get their whips tangled as they passed each other.

and that the US chose the right specifically to be different to the UK.. not surprising for a country that was fighting for its independence.

Answer 9

COmpanyies like the metric system because they can sell less at the same price and try to think they're fooling people they're getting the same amount. Liter vs. Quart.

Answer 10

only uk and Australia drive on left side, every where else on the right. measures for uk derives from the kingdom's merchants.

Answer 11

I don't know but if I was ever over there I would probably get in a car accident.